Memories a Piece
by stoneygem
Summary: During a children's birthday party our favorite couple - along with some others - remembers their happiest and worst time. AD/MM of course
1. The Children's Party

A/N: This is the add-on to my very first story "Light up my World". It's actually not necessary to read before – but, then again – better do it. Since you all asked for this one here – I indulge you. Okay, okay, I'm kidding.                                                 

This is very much experimental and a WIP, thus it might take a while to update. And yes, I am guilty of giving them a daughter, too. But honestly – I can't really see them with a son.

Disclaimer: Everything you don't recognise from the canon is mine – Except the names of Minerva's parents. They are from one of Isis Malfoy's stories.

Warning: This is AD/MM – if that pairing makes you sick – do the Rockford-turn NOW!

And off we go…

"Memories a Piece"

By stoneygem

Chapter I: Children's Party

It was a warm summer. Already in June temperatures were high, even in usually cold Scotland. The scenery around the manor looked bright and colourful – Rhododendron bushes in all colors, the grass bright green under a cloudless blue sky. Even the grey stones of the manor sparkled brightly.

"Could you imagine a scenery more perfect for a children's party?" an ebony haired witch asked her companion.

"No, certainly not. The children will love to play on the grounds." The other woman replied. "And Papa outdid himself this time with all those games and sweets and what not."

"Too true. Too true.", a third woman chimed in as she joined the other two and looped her arm through the one of one woman. "One would think that he is all grown up by now, but when it comes down to it, he is just as much a child as your Albus."

The woman in the middle just smiled "I guess, in many ways Albus is still a child. And he really is rather fond of all things muggle. Those carrousels for the kids should be of great interest for him."

"And think of the ridiculous number of, what was it, Min? Lemon drops? That Mama ordered?" The witch on the left shook her head in amusement. "You know, sometimes I think, she likes to indulge your man."

The middle one laughed "Actually I think, the whole family likes to indulge him too much. He's just human, not Superman and it's me after all, who has to deal with those crazy habits you all are fostering so much."

With that the three women had come close to a stairway leading up to the wide terrace. On top of the stairs a man expected them. He was tall and broad with long black hair that he wore in a low ponytail. His eyes lit up proudly, when he saw the three women.

"You three are sure a sight for sore eyes." He commented "If I weren't your brother, I think I would make a pass at you."

"Yes, and be slapped by each one of us, Uray." 

"Minerva, really…I'm shocked."

"But not hurt."    

He laughed "No. I'm not. Come on you three, everybody is waiting for you. After all, it's not every day that His Excellency, the minister of Magic himself, is throwing a party for his grandkids."

Peri grinned "Since the party is for his grandchildren, he can certainly wait for his daughters."

Another deep voice broke in "I can, but I don't want to. And it's your son, Peri, who has been asking for his mama and aunts Min and Sym."

Before Horus McGonagall could finish his sentence a little boy came running over. "Mama, Mama, auntie Min, auntie Sym, come on!" five-year old James Potter yelled excitedly, "There is so much stuff, you have to see. All the sweets and the cakes and the games and everything." He grabbed the hands of his mother and aunt Minerva and urged Sym "You too, auntie Sym. Come on…" With that he dragged the women away. 

Horus McGonagall shook his head amusedly "My girls and this boy. He has them all wrapped around his little finger. Especially Min. I wonder what will happen when she has to teach him in Hogwarts."

Uray smiled "We'll see. But Albus says,…"

"What do I say?" A voice came from behind them.

Both men turned. Albus Dumledore, Deputy Headmaster in at Hogwarts, threw them a questioning look. "What do I say about Minerva, Uray?"

"Oh, you said that Min is completely different when with her students. You said, one wouldn't recognise her as my sister, when she is teaching. That she is a no-nonsense person in class." Uray answered, while greeting the newcomer with a warm handshake.

His father also greeted their guest, but much less warmly. As much as he respected Dumbledore as a wizard, he could not forgive the man to live with his daughter without being married. It was beyond him, why Minerva accepted this dishonourable arrangement and also to keep their relationship a secret. Still, Dumbledore was a guest – a welcome guest as his wife had told him in no uncertain terms, and he would act accordingly.

The men joined the crowd. The McGonagall-clan was a large family with their eight grown-up children. And this party was for their kids for the occasion of little James Potter's fifth birthday. 

***

About an hour later, the party was in full swing. The air was filled with laughter, giggles and excited shrieks of the children. Everybody seemed to have the time of their lives, but someone was missing. Albus Dumbledore scanned the crowd for any sign of his wife, but Minerva was nowhere to be seen. 

Suddenly, somebody nudged him on his arm. Turning he looked straight into Peri's worried eyes. "She went down to the pond. I think, all those happy children were too much for her." She whispered. "Go to her. She needs you."

His expression darkening, Albus squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Peri." With that he left the crowd and went in search for his wife.

He found her on a bench overlooking the pond. Heavy sobs were wracking her body. Albus heart went out to her as he sat down next to her. Minerva didn't even look up as she threw herself into his embrace and cried into his chest.

Albus did the only thing he could do. He wrapped his arms around her and waited for her to calm down.

After a few minutes, Minerva's sobs became lighter and finally ceased. She looked up to him and Albus marvelled once again, how he had gotten so lucky to have her as his wife, for married they were. Even though most of the family didn't know, they were husband and wife for more than 17 glorious years.         

At last, Minerva spoke: "I'm sorry, Albus."

"Why, my love? Crying is natural. And on a day like this, I'd be surprised if you didn't."

She put a hand to his cheek. "I always think that I'm strong enough to stand seeing the others with their children. And don't get me wrong, I love my siblings and I love all my nieces and nephews. I'm happy for all of them, but sometimes it is just too much. Then I become envious and ask the heavens, why our Lanney cannot be here. She would like it and they would love her. But she isn't here. And then I become angry. And then I cry…"

Dumbledore was silent. What could he say? He felt the same way. Their daughter should be here among those children. She would probably be the one to watch out for the younger ones. – Or she would take them far out onto Lake Mischief. She would be a beautiful teenager by now, with dark auburn hair and those beautiful black eyes like her mother's. But Lanney wasn't here. Lanney was dead.

He tightened his hold of his wife and together they looked out onto the pond as he began to remember…

Please, let me know what you think…How can I go on, if nobody nags me to do????


	2. Albus, Heaven is a Place on Earth

A/N: Okay, after a rather long absence from writing this one – I'm back. Honestly, take my advice: never organize your teaching exam, write a 20-pages research paper, prepare your senior thesis AND build a website at the same time. Which reminds me: to all, to whom I've send a mail about the archive and who didn't answer – do that, please!

I decided to let the story be told through the eyes of several people. Thus, not everything might be explained. Anyways, this chapter is Albus' and therefore contains a lot of cutsieness. And yes, I'm still guilty of giving them a daughter.

Thanks to all my reviewers.

Maria: You never nag me. Lol. Have fun with all the work I loaded upon you. *winks*

Petriebird: I wouldn't dare to risk your anger. Am I forgiven????

MK: You don't expect me to tell at this point, do you? You wouldn't read the rest. And there are more chappies to come.

Laura: What can you do about fathers? Nothing. But I'm not through with good old Horus (btw, that name came from Isis Malfoy – little disclaimer here)

Chapter II: Albus – Heaven is a Place on Earth

August in France was beautiful, Albus Dumbledore thought, as he made his way through the gardens of Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even though the destruction of the war could still be seen, now more than a year after its end, life came back to normal in the muggle as well as the wizarding world.

After a lot of hard work they had done it. Beauxbatons would be able to open in September – ready for students of magic. The grounds were in good shape, the castle as magnificent as ever and they had gathered an impressive teaching staff. 

Dumbledore smiled. The school was in good hands. His friend and co-fighter Luc had taken over as headmaster. He was still fairly young, but more than qualified, nonetheless. The students would love him. And they would love their new transfiguration teacher. Although, not as much as he did, of course.

Minerva - his wife – would instruct those young people here in Beauxbatons. Of course, he could think of better places for her to be – Hogwarts being on top of that list – but there were no positions vacant at the moment and since Minerva insisted on a teaching job, that was the way to be. 

If he was honest with himself, Albus had to admit that he just didn't like to be separated from his family, but France was probably a lot safer than England. Not all of Grindelwald's followers had been caught and having his family close by might put them out on the spot. And of course, Lanney would love the lavishness of her surroundings, once she was a little older.

Lanney – his own personal wonder. His little daughter. He had never thought that such a tiny little person could have such a power over him. But all she had to do was to look at him with her big dark eyes and he was a lost cause. Not even three months old, the little girl could wrap him around her little fingers in no time. Just like her mother…

Stepping up the terrace he found both objects of his thoughts. Minerva was sitting in a recliner with the baby lying securely on her chest. Both seemed to be sleeping. Stepping closer, he realized his error when he heard Minerva talking quietly to the baby.

"And when it is night there are many stars in the sky. Then it looks like a band of dark velvet covered with twinkling lights. My Mama, your grandma, told me when I was a little girl that every star stands for someone, who loves you and protects you from above. And the more stars you can count, the more people you have to love you. But you, my little angel...," she kissed her daughter on the little nose, "you won't need the protection from the stars. Your Daddy and I will protect you and love you forever."

Lanney gurgled happily "You like that, do you? Yes, ma astérisque, be sure, your Daddy and I love you. And you know what? I love your Daddy too – so very much." 

Albus took a deep breath as his heart seemed to swell out of his chest. This was heaven. 

He stepped up to the recliner laying a hand on his wife's shoulder and sat down next to her. Minerva turned to him and flashed him a brilliant smile.  He put an arm around her shoulders and with his free hand supported Lanney's head. 

"I love you, too. Forever…"

Two geese loudly landing in the pond snapped him out of this happy memory. He looked down on his wife and found her apparently caught in her own happy memories. So, he just tightened his hold on her and watched nature unfolding.

***

Several feet behind them, Peri leaned against a tree and watched the couple. She was worried. Every year on James' birthday she was. She knew that there was a reason for everything, but why James actually had to be born the same day as Lanney had, was beyond her. It made the boy's special day always bittersweet. 

Lanney should be with them – she would have all the younger children following her. Peri smiled. That little girl had been born to rule everybody around her. Already on the day of her birth, the charisma, Lanney had inherited from both of her parents, showed. Peri knew from the very first second that the gentle likeability and humor of her father combined with the cool strength of her mother would get the girl everything she could ever want. That realization did not need the seer she was. Four men had been present that day and little Lanney had conquered each one by storm. 

She felt somebody approaching and suddenly Uray stood next to her. "They are missing you up there, Peri." He said and then with a nod to the pond. "Them too."   

"I know, that's why I came down here. To see what is the matter."

"Are they alright?"

"It seems so." Peri hesitated. "Well, at least, as alright as they can be today."

"Yes, sometimes I ask myself, how they make it through this day. I'm not sure, I would."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, in the middle of playing with Coeus and the girls or, even worse, reprimanding them, I look at them and suddenly see Lanney. And I imagine what I would do if anything happens to one of them. Then all I want to do is to run over hug them and never let go. – They always look at me as if I'm going mad." Uray smiled sheepishly.

Peri squeezed his arm "I know, how you feel. It's the same with me and James." Her expression darkened. "But you know, I also feel a little guilty."

"Guilty? You? Whatever for, Peri?"

"Oh Uray, today is James' birthday and Papa put in such a huge party. He does that every year. But it would be Lanney's too. And Min and Albus are always here and have to endure a children's party, when they probably feel like everything but a celebration…"

"And…?" Uray urged.

Peri continued agitatedly: "And then everybody is talking about, how Min helped me through James' birth and wonder, how she ever did that with no experience and all. And I just want to scream. Scream into their faces that she had experience, because she had a baby of her own. That I was there to help her through the delivery just like she did for me. And that they shall treat her with the respect and sympathy she deserves."

She calmed down a bit: "Papa and the boys always wonder, why Min and I are so close knit and why I do have her so close by with James. But it is nothing more than she did with me…"

"What do you mean, Peri? I don't understand." Uray asked, slightly confused.

His sister just looked him straight into the eye. And it began to dawn in him. "What did actually happen between you and Min in those rooms?"

Okay, I almost forgot: Thanks to babelfish for helping me out. – I don't know any French. But they told me that 'astérisque'  means 'little star'. If that's wrong – blame them.


	3. Peri, The Wonder of Birth

A/N: Yup, chapter 3 is up. Geez, I wonder, how I am doing that. But only 2 more days and I finish my last research paper (Goethe and the garden) and then…NO, I'm not free. Then I can start on my senior thesis.   
This chappy is Peri and it contains a little more magic (I find my stories lacking a bit of the magical touch, but I'm working on that, promise).   
Oh and one more thing: Some of my friends from the Albus&Minerva-group have been heavily attacked by flamers. And I want to say: We like critique – constructive critique. It improves our writing. Flaming doesn't!   
**So to you FLAMERS: GET A LIFE!**

To my faithful reviewers. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.  
LinZE: Geez, you are right. I didn't make the connection, but I love that song.  
IlUvDrAcOmAlFoY: Well I try, but I hope for a huge boost in motivation after that date.  
go to hell my love(): Well, I go with Freelancer on that one: My Fic, my rules. In this (my) universe he is about 55 years older than her. That might be about her father's age, but it doesn't really matter for the story. And I love them together.

Chapter III: Peri – The Wonder of Birth

"Come on, Min. You can do it. Just push."

"Don't tell me to push. What do you think, I'm doing the whole day?" Minerva groaned through gritted teeth as she got up to her elbows to work through another wave of another contraction.

Peri grinned. It was true, they were going through this since about midnight and now it was late in the evening. "I know, I've been in here too, you know. – Just push…yes…yes. That's it."

Minerva flopped back onto the bed, completely exhausted. "I'm telling you, if he ever touches me again, I'll beat him with a Quidditch-club." 

Nicole – co-fighter and spontaneous midwife – chuckled. "That is, what they all say…Until they have the baby in their arms. Then they all want another baby as soon as possible."

Peri grinned. Then she whispered to the other woman. "Doesn't it take awfully long? I thought, it would go much faster. Can't we do anything? Anything magic"

The other witch shrugged her shoulders "I thought so, too. But it's taking extremely long, especially since there seems to be no progress. At this rate it may take another day until the little one is here. And I don't know, if she can make it." She said with a nod to Minerva.

"But my sister is strong."

"That she is. But there isn't anything to help her."

"Not even a potion, maybe?"

"Not at this stage. I don't know of one that would work fast enough."

Peri rolled her eyes "So what do we do?"

Nicole shrugged again "Don't ask me. You are Gryffindor-heirs. You are much more powerful than I am. And you are her sister. Think of something."

Peri groaned. She never had a baby. She had not even been pregnant yet. What could she possibly do? She went over to the bed, took the cool washcloth from the nightstand and dabbed it to Minerva's damp forehead.

Her sister smiled weakly in gratification. She had never imagined that giving birth could be so hard and so…painful. She was exhausted. Why couldn't this be over. She grabbed her sisters hand. "Peri, help me please. I can't go on anymore. I'm so tired. Can't you do anything?"

The other one send a helpless look towards heavens. "I don't know, what to do, Min. What can I possibly do?"

"Take some of the pain. Give me strength. Anything…" Minerva demanded, her voice harsh from the pain of another contraction.

"That's it. That's it. Min, you are brilliant." Peri exclaimed. "I know, what to do."

"Really?" Two surprised voices answered.

"Yes, I do." The oldest McGonagall-daughter said excitedly. "Min, think. The ring. We can do it. Better, I can do it. We can form the ring, and I can take a part of your pain from you."

Minerva stared at her with wonder. "Would you really? You know, how dangerous it is without Sym or Uray to back us."

Peri just smiled. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. And I know, I can do it. So, just trust me, okay."

Minerva only nodded. 

Peri sat down next to her on the bed facing her sister. "Take your amulet and put it into your left hand." Minerva did as said. "Now give me both of your hands."

The sisters joined hands and then Peri began to recite:

_"One soul can be strong, but stronger they are united._

_And so I join my mind, my heart and my soul to yours – _

_To be stronger together in this Ring of Souls._

_We are bonded together through the love of sisterhood._

_Bonded together eternally._

_Thus, I'll take the pain to lessen yours – _

_Thus, You'll take my strength._

Let us find our way through this hardship – 

_United in this Ring of Souls."_

Nicole watched with interest. There was no obvious sign of magic working. But suddenly, Minerva seemed to be less exhausted. Her features lost the pained expression and she seemed to have found new strength. Out of the blue, she looked at their French companion. "There is another contraction coming. Can we go on?"

The other woman frowned. What did happen here. When she stepped closer to the bed, she could feel an aura of power that was surrounding the two women. And she understood.

"Very well, Minerva. Let's do it."

~~~

Three hours later the first weak cries of a newborn filled the house. Minerva laid back, completely exhausted but very happy. Next to her Peri was slumped down, too. Minerva smiled and took her sisters hand again. "Thank you Peri." She said somewhat choked with emotion. "I don't know, what to say except: thank you."

"Don't thank me, Min. We made it. Together."

"Yes, but still. I don't know, how I can ever properly thank you."

"Then don't. Besides, you can repay me." Peri grinned slyly. "Should I ever be in that situation – do the same for me. I don't know if I can stand the whole birth-thing."

The sisters smiled in understanding. "I will, Peri. I promise." 

Then Nicole stepped closer with the still wailing infant in her arms. She handed the bundle over to Minerva and said: "While you get acquainted, I'll fetch the men." 

"And while Nicole fetched you, Minerva told me that this little baby would be just as much my kid as it was hers." Peri finished her tale. 

"And then you guys came and it was most funny and beautiful moment in my entire life. To see Albus come in and see Min and his baby and being completely besides himself with joy." Her eyes moistened at the memory. "See, just remembering their tears of happiness makes me cry, too. It was so beautiful, when they were counting toes and fingers. And when they decided to name her Lanney. – And it was so funny then seeing Albus completely enraptured by this tiny creature. She had him wrapped around her little fingers from the very first moment on. Andy and Luc too. And you." Peri chuckled. "I knew then already that this little girl would always be the center of everyone's attention. You men were gone all over her."

Uray chuckled too. "Yes, I have to admit I was completely overwhelmed. She was such a beautiful baby. And I loved her from the first moment on."

His sister grinned slyly. "Who would have thought after your first reaction…"


End file.
